Name: Vegan Shepherd’s Pie with Jackfruit Ragu
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil (or as needed); 1 large yellow onion (, finely diced); 3 celery sticks (, finely diced); 3 carrots (, finely diced); 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp ground black pepper; 7 oz (200g) chestnut mushrooms (sliced); 2 tsp garlic paste (or minced garlic cloves); 3 x 14 oz (400g) tins jackfruit (young jackfruit in brine); ½ tbsp brown sugar (or Sukrin Gold sweetener); 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar (or Henderson's Relish); 2 tbsp concentrated tomato paste; 14 oz (400g) tin chopped tomatoes in juice (crushed tomatoes); 1 cup (240ml) red wine (, I used Artesano de Argento Malbec); 2 cups (480ml) vegetable stock (, more as needed); 2 bay leaves; 1 cinnamon stick; Salt and pepper to season; 6 large potatoes, peeled and cubed ((Maris Piper, Yukon Gold or similar)); 2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder; 1 tsp salt; 5 tbsp olive oil; unsweetened hot Almond milk (as needed); Salt (, pepper and nutmeg to season); A little olive oil to drizzle

Simply the best comforting dinner for a cozy night in, best enjoyed lingering over a glass of Artesano de Argento Organic Fairtrade Malbec.

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In collaboration with Artesano de Argento

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie is the kind of hearty meal that screams “comfort food”. But while Traditional Shepherd’s Pie contains lamb, and its cousin Cottage Piebeef, my plant-based twist is 100% vegan and crazy delicious with it!

I love pairing this dish with a new wine discovery: Artesano de Argento Organic Fairtrade Malbec from the foothills of the Argentinian Andes.

This juicy Malbec is bursting with black fruits, herbal and spicy aromas. With its soft tannins, it is a great match for hearty winter dishes like this vegan Shepherd’s Pie but it is also great on its own or to accompany lighter meals. Buy Artesano de Argento Organic Fairtrade Malbec online at Tesco and in selected stores for £10.

What Is Jackfruit?

Jackfruit is a giant tree-borne fruit that has risen in popularity lately since it makes an excellent vegan meat substitute. You can use it in stews, to make vegan pulled pork, in jackfruit tacos, burgers and so on!

WHERE TO BUY JACKFRUIT Canned jackfruit used to be fairly hard to find but these days it is stored in most supermarkets, health shops and on Amazon. I used the Biona Organic Young Jackfruitin salted water for this recipe.

HOW TO PREPARE JACKFRUIT Rinse the jackfruit, drain and remove the woody core. Slice large pieces in half, removing or chopping up any large seeds before using.

Jackfruit Ragu

I toyed with the idea of making a lentil-based Vegan pie using my Lentil Bolognese but in the end decided to use a rich jackfruit ragu cooked in red wine as the filling.

Italian ragu is a rich meaty sauce made with beef, duck or game. This vegan ragu replaces the meat with jackfruit but keeps all the other key ingredients. Here’s what you will need:

Onions, garlic, celery and carrots make the base of the sauce
Mushrooms – you can leave those out if you are not a fan!
Canned young green jackfruitin brine or water (I got mine from Amazon). Ripe jackfruit is not suitable for this recipe.
Tomatoes and concentrated tomato paste
Red wine – I used Artesano de Argento Fairtrade Malbec which is certified Organic and vegan and reasonably priced at £10 a bottle, from Tesco online and in selected stores.
Brown Sugar or Sukrin Gold sweetener
Balsamic Vinegar or Henderson’s Relish
Vegetable stock
Bay leaves and cinnamon stick

How to Make Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

↓ For the full ingredients and detailed method, jump to the recipe card.

MAKE THE VEGAN RAGU FILLING

Prepare the jackfruit: rinse, drain and slice off the tough woody part. Remove any large seeds or chop them up. Set aside.

slicing the tough end of canned jackfruit before cooking

Sauté the onions, celery and carrots in olive oil over low heat, adding salt and pepper and stirring often, for 5-7 minutes until slightly softened.

Add the mushrooms and garlic paste and continue to cook for a few minutes.

Stir in the jackfruit, sugar or sweetener, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, red wine and vegetable stock. Add the bay leaves and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 45 minutes or until the sauce is slightly reduced. Keep an eye on the pot and top up with hot water if it is getting too dry.

Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Use two forks to shred the jackfruit, taste and adjust the seasoning.

MAKE THE MASHED POTATOES

Boil the potatoes in vegetable stock until fork tender. Drain and reserve the liquid. Mash the potatoes with olive oil and almond milk until smooth, adding some of the cooking liquid if needed. Taste and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

ASSEMBLE THE SHEPHERD’S PIE

Preheat the oven to 200C (400F). Transfer the ragu to a rectangular casserole dish and spread evenly.

Pile the mashed potatoes on top of the filling and use a fork to spread out. Use the fork to add a bit of texture to the topping, to encourage the lovely crunchy bits when baked! Drizzle with a little olive oil.

topping vegan shepherd's pie with mashed potatoes collage

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden. Cool slightly before serving with a crunchy green salad or steamed vegetables and a glass of Artesano de Argento Malbec!

Tips and FAQs

Prep ahead: You can make the jackfruit ragu a day or two in advance of assembling the pie.
Deconstructed Shepherd’s Pie: simply serve the ragu over mashed potatoes! You can also serve the filling with pasta or over rice if you like. It is also delicious as a baked potato filling 🙂
The Shepherd’s Pie will keep for up to three days in the fridge, simply reheat before serving!
Allow the pie to cool slightly before serving – it will be easier to slice.
Vary the topping: use sweet potatoes or celeriac to make the mash. Use my slow cooker mashed potatoes recipe if preferred.

My Fave Vegan Recipes!

HAVE YOU MADE MY VEGAN SHEPHERD’S PIE RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #Nusde and make my day!